Sednaya Prison

Unveiling the Dark Secrets of Sednaya Prison

Sednaya Prison was a military prison near Damascus, Syria, operated by the Syrian government and infamous for its inhumane treatment of detainees.

The Scale of Injustice

Imagine a place where thousands of people were held captive, subjected to brutal torture, and ultimately executed. This is what Sednaya Prison was like during the Syrian civil war. The prison has been estimated to have held around 30,000 detainees since the conflict began in 2011. These individuals included civilians, anti-government rebels, and political prisoners.

Widespread Torture and Executions

The horrors of Sednaya Prison are hard to fathom. Human rights organizations have identified over 27 prisons and detention centers run by the Assad regime where detainees were routinely tortured and killed. Sednaya was considered the most notorious due to its widespread use of inhumane torture practices, including perpetual beatings, sexual assaults, decapitations, and burnings.

The Crematorium Allegation

In 2017, the US State Department alleged that a crematorium had been built at Sednaya Prison to dispose of the bodies of executed prisoners. This revelation added another layer of horror to an already nightmarish situation. The existence of such a facility suggests a systematic effort to cover up the atrocities committed within its walls.

Testimonies from Detainees

The stories of those who were held captive in Sednaya are harrowing. Ali Kher Bek, for example, was known as a harsh prison director who halted visits and cut off electricity, worsening living conditions. In 2008, a rebellion broke out after security forces used tear gas and gunfire to control the situation. The incident, known as ‘The First Rebellion,’ lasted one day but had long-term effects on prison policy.

Escalation of Violence

The aftermath of the rebellion saw internal doors left open, allowing defiances and lenient treatment. However, when the director launched an offensive, many fights broke out between prisoners and military police. Security forces opened fire, killing many prisoners and hostages trying to flee. Military reinforcements arrived, laying siege around the prison for 10 days before negotiations led to the evacuation of injured prisoners facing torture in Tishreen hospital, where six died under torture.

Human Rights Violations

The situation at Sednaya was not an isolated incident but part of a broader pattern of human rights abuses. A 2017 Amnesty International report stated that as many as 13,000 people were hanged in five years at the prison. Groups of up to 50 people were removed from their cells for arbitrary trials, beaten, and hanged. The methods used included brutal beatings with electric cables, plastic water pipes, and metal bars.

Personal Accounts

Former detainees like Samer al-Ahmed described the torture they endured. He was forced to squeeze his head through a small hatch near the bottom of his cell door, which required him to press his head against the edge until blood started flowing across the floor. Another common technique called shabeh involved being hung by the wrists and beaten with wooden sticks before having cigarettes lit on his body.

The Nature of Torture

Torture at Sednaya was not just about extracting confessions; it was a method of punishment and degradation. Regular and brutal beatings were common, often causing life-long damage or death. Sexual violence, including rape, was also reported by former detainees.

Deprivation and Starvation

The conditions in Sednaya included severe deprivation and starvation. Detainees were deprived of food and water, and some were forced to rape each other. When they did get food, it was often mixed with blood. The Syrian Justice Ministry denied the report issued by Amnesty International, describing it as ‘devoid of truth’ and considering it part of a smear campaign against the government.

Amnesty International’s Reconstruction

To better understand the environment in which detainees were held, Amnesty International and Forensic Architecture reconstructed Sednaya Prison using acoustic modeling and testimonies from former detainees. The 3D model revealed that sound was used as a tool for inmates to navigate their environment while also helping prison authorities perpetuate torture and abuse.

Call for Action

The project aimed to pressure the Syrian government to allow independent monitors into detention centers. Amnesty International urged Russia and the US to investigate conditions in Syria’s torture prisons, specifically Saydnaya Military Prison. The 2017 Amnesty Report described it as a ‘human slaughterhouse.’ In 2017, the US State Department accused the Syrian government of mass executions at the prison, with evidence suggesting a crematorium was built to hide the killings.

Despite these allegations, many former inmates have not reported the existence of the crematorium, and some believe bodies were buried outside the compound. The truth about Sednaya Prison remains shrouded in secrecy, but one thing is clear: it stands as a testament to the darkest aspects of human cruelty.